Dear Advertising

STA Travel Australia

2011-08-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

Dear STA,

Well done with your latest spot. I've never really wanted to go to Australia but this spot might have changed my mind.

Sincerely,

KFC

2011-07-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

Dear KFC,

I was just wondering when your brand became sentimental? Apparently Ogilvy in South Africa thinks that KFC will pull at everyones heart strings with this new spot.

Unfortunately the special seasoning that goes in to KFC's chicken brings a tear to my eye for a different reason.

Sincerely,

Astral Media Campaign

2011-04-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Astral,

It took me a couple visits to Marketing Magazine before I finally decided to click on one of your ads. As the advertising industry continues to change, evolve or implode (however you want to view it) I think that Astral has a great insight on the value that media planners and buyers bring to the creative process. This spot takes a page out of the all important 'creative book' meeting.

The portfolio from Astral on Vimeo.

Sincerely,

K-Swiss + Kenny Powers = Amazing

2011-03-23T13:57:00.001-07:00

Dear K-Swiss,

I don't know who had the cahones to present this idea but well done!

Sincerely,

No Yolks Launches Campaign in Canada

2011-02-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

Dear No Yolks,

I realize that it was my agency that launched this campaign but I have to plug the campaign because I honestly feel that these are some great brand spots. Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Super Bowl 61 in 2 Minutes

2011-02-10T13:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Canada,

When are we going to start having good Super Bowl ads? Here is a recap of Super Bowl 61 put together by Adweek:

Sincerely,

Heineken

2011-01-14T06:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Heineken,

Now that's how you make an entrance. Created by Wieden + Kennedy

Sincerely,

Kraft Spot with Homeless Voice Over

2011-01-07T15:22:00.000-08:00

Dear Kraft,

That was quick. Way to capitalize on the viral attention

Sincerely,

DDB makes Facebook a Book

2010-11-25T09:03:00.000-08:00

Dear DDB,

I don't know why it's taken anyone so long to think of this idea but I have to tip my hat to you.

When Facebook becomes a book from Siavosh Zabeti on Vimeo.

Sincerely,

Old Spice Movember

2010-11-18T10:38:00.000-08:00

Dear,

I know its old but its relevant because its Movember right...right?

Sincerely,

COD Black Opps

2010-11-05T14:04:00.001-07:00

Dear COD,

Great spot. I will be buying this game but only if I can play against Kobe

Sincerely,

Subaru

2010-11-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Subaru and DDB,

How do you build off of the Sumo Wrestler campaign that brought the brand so much success. You don't, instead you do a flip book. I don't really care if the spot was shot with a camera attached to the car. What exactly does this have to do with performance?

Maybe I'm missing something.

Sincerely,

Microsoft 2nd Installment

2010-11-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Microsoft,

I still don't get it? What I do like is that it is a completely different approach to the world of cellphones but you would think that the idea of the cellphone is to get people to use it more often???

What do you think?

Sincerely,

OK Go Music Video

2010-10-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Musicians,

Take it from OK Go...don't just make a music video create something that has legs to go viral. OK Go continues to put out some of the most creative and interesting music videos and the 'YouTube views' keep growing as a result. Check out the latest:

State Farm gets on board:

Where it all started:

Sincerely,

What Should LeBron do?

2010-10-26T08:18:00.001-07:00

Dear Nike,

I just saw your attempt to some how make LeBron the victim in the mess he's made of a pretty clean career. I don't know what it is but after 90secs of listening to him I have a hard time feeling for him.

We shall see what he does on the hardwood this year.

Sincerely,

Fable III Trailer

2010-10-19T08:47:00.001-07:00

Dear Fable,

Whoever is coming up with the soundtracks for video games lately is doing a stand up job. Check out the new Fable III trailer:

Sincerely,

Nike - BOOM

2010-10-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Nike,

Another great campaign. Thank you for continuing to lead

Sincerely,

Amazing Halloween Commercial

2010-10-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Chicks,

Look no further:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Sincerely,

Delta Faucet Ad

2010-10-12T14:25:00.002-07:00

Dear Delta Faucet,

I really like the idea of washing the day away with this execution.

Sincerely,

Delta Faucet Ad

2010-10-12T14:25:00.001-07:00

Dear Delta Faucet,

I really like the idea of washing the day away with this execution.

Sincerely,

Really Windows?

2010-10-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Microsoft,

I just saw the new spot for your new Windows cellphone and while I like the spot I have one question for you. Really? Do you really think that your cellphone is going to get people using cellphones less? Do you really feel that a Windows phone is going to revolutionize cellphones? Do you really think anyone is going to believe this? Am I really spending this much time writing about your ad?

Let me know what you really think?

Sincerely,

Coke Makes the Summer Experience in Israel

2010-09-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Coke,

I wish any of my clients had not only your budget but also you courage. This an amazing example of how social media can be used in different ways:

Great work Publicis Israel

Sincerely,

Canadian Club?

2010-09-24T07:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Canadian Club,

So its been 10 years and this is what you come out with? I'm not mad at you I'm just disappointed in the work produced by Toronto based agency Juniper Park. I can't find a link to embed so visit http://tiny.cc/jtywu to check out the spot.

Let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

Old Spice Getting Old!?

2010-07-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Old Spice,

We all agree that you are doing some really great things, especially after your Grand Prix win at Cannes but I feel like the latest version from Old Spice is exactly the same as the other ad. You be the judge

Come on Wieden + Kenndy I know you are better than that.

Sincerely,

Vince and Eminem

2010-06-22T15:44:00.001-07:00

Dyson's Genius

2010-06-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Dyson,

It is no secret that Dyson is one of the most innovative companies in the world. James Dyson and his team of engineers continue to raise the bar when it comes to design, innovation and the ability to take revolutionize everyday household products and sell them at 5 times the price. One of their latest products is the Dyson Air Multiplier. There is no mass advertising campaign to help promote the Air Multiplier. Instead this viral video does a pretty good job at showing off the uniqueness of the product.

Sincerely,

Happy 5th B-Day YouTube

2010-06-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

Dear YouTube,

Just wanted to wish you a happy belated b-day. Usually people do things for you on your b-day but I'm glad you created this video about yourself:

Sincerely,

Asia - BMW Joy Campaign

2010-06-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

Dear BMW,

This out of home brought me a lot of 'Joy' from Publicis

Sincerely,

Message in a Bottle

2010-06-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Altius,

I just watched the case study for your Message in a Bottle campaign to help raise money for children in South America and love the thinking behind this campaign. When working with NGO's with little to no budget it is very important to be as creative as possible to really make an impact. You really hit the mark on this. Not only is the creative great but based on the results it is actually raising much needed funds. I've worked with a number of NGO clients over the years and seen too many creative teams treat this as an opportunity to do something really edgy. Edgy is great as long as it's grounded in a sound strategy. Its good to see the folks at Leo Burnett Iberia produce work that answers the call.

Sincerely,

Sapporo Launches TV Spot in Canada

2010-06-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Sapporo,

Congratulations on launching your first television spot in Canada. I have to say that the work is pretty epic (produced by Dentsu Canada). Great story, beautiful imagery and a great opportunity to bring a cool brand into the mainstream.

I will be interested to see how the legend lives on in other mediums.

Sincerely,

Huggies launches Jean Diapers

2010-05-31T06:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Huggies,

Huggies launches chic jean diapers line. Who would have ever thought that diapers could become so fashionable...not this guy. With a line like that I was really hoping for some great creative to support such a ridiculous product but I all we got was this:

Disappointing creative for an agency like JWT, New York.

Sincerely,

Solidarite's Amazing Billboard

2010-04-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Solidarite,

As I have admitted in some of my past blogs I love innovative out of home creative and this is unlike anything I have ever seen before. Not sure how it could translate for other brands but is definitely worth sharing.

Solidarité from La Boite Concept on Vimeo.

Sincerely,

Endangered Lego

2010-04-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Lego,

Its not really advertising related but I thought that this story was too cool not to share. Lego Artist Sean Kenney was asked to recreate 34 endangered species to be put on display at the Philadelphia Zoo (and is expected to visit other Zoos throughout the summer) to help teach children about endangered species. Check out some of the work:

Sincerely,

The 'Power' of Old Spice

2010-04-12T09:26:00.001-07:00

Dear Old Spice,

I just saw the latest run of 'Power' viral spots and I am loving what Old Spice has been doing of late. Enjoy

Sincerely,

Go Digital of Die

2010-03-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Saatchi,

The future looks grim for advertising agencies not willing to get on board with the future of advertising, according to Saatchi and Saatchi. In a viral video that hit the web less than a week ago, Saatchi gives a history lesson on the last advertising agency on earth. The unwillingness to recognize that times were changing resulted in the last advertising agency going extinct.

I understand the point of the video but feel that this conversation has been going on for a long time and think that Saatchi is a little late with their say on the matter.

I still feel that regardless of the medium it is going to be the ideas versus the execution that determine the success of our industry.

Sincerely,

Playstation Brings the Future of Gaming...Today

2010-03-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Playstation,

Its been a few years since Nintendo's Wii launched and chose the road less travelled compared to the graphic focused Xbox and Playstation. I was very skeptical of this approach but the Wii definitely proved me wrong. There have been a lot of grumblings from Microsoft's camp (and a very popular viral video) about there move into the world of interactive gaming and now Playstation just launched a new TV spot to promote their attempt in the same realm.

Playstation's spokesperson 'Kevin' comes to us from the future to unveil the latest toy from Sony and even takes a couple jabs at the Wii throughout the spot.

I look forward to Wii's rebuttal on this. Let the games begin.

Sincerely,

Tropicana Provides the Sunshine

2010-03-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Tropicana,

As much as I like the Old Spice 'Look at your man' spot (as you can see from my blog) I think that the new spot from Tropicana created by BBDO Toronto might be my new favourite ad of the year. While I appreciate humour as much as the next person in the world of advertising this spot does a lot more then make me chuckle.

This spot does a great job of furthering Tropicana's claim of bringing sunshine into peoples lives each and every day. In this new spot we find ourselves in the Canadian Arctic during its dark period that covers the area for nearly half of the year.

In an almost heroic type of effort Tropicana arrives with a massive light infused helium balloon to shed some light (literally) on the people from the Arctic and add some well needed sunshine to this small town.

This is a great example of how you use (instead of create) a real life situation to further an already great positioning for your product. The simplicity of this ad from the way it was shot to the final tag line "Because we believe brighter mornings make for brighter days" is absolutely brilliant.

I can only imagine that this ad will go on to do great things in the award circuit.

Sincerely,

Old Spice Song

2010-03-03T14:56:00.000-08:00

Dear Emily and Matt,

Thank you for making that Old Spice commercial into a song and for doing it with two guitars and a whole lot of harmony. Two weeks ago Emily and Matt uploaded an acoustic version of Old Spice's 'Look at your man' spot that aired during this years Super Bowl. All I can say is brilliant. Surprisingly this is a pretty good make out track.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Old Spice You've Done it Again

2010-02-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Old Spice,

Well what can I say? You've done it again. And by you I mean W+K of course. These guys continue to take an older gentleman's brand like Old Spice and revitalize the sh*t out of it to make it young again. This spot that aired the day after the Super Bowl is just one example of the life they are breathing back into this brand.

Sincerely,

Google Buzz vs. Facebook

2010-02-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Facebook,

Watch your back!

Sincerely,

Salty's Final Stand

2010-02-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Knorr,

This will be my third installment about Salty and hopefully my last. I am a big fan of the campaign especially the 1st spot that used the Michael Bolton track. I think the campaign is still very relevant I am just getting a little bit wary that they are approaching overkill with Salty. This to me would be a great way to end the campaign and go out on top.

Sincerely,

ManCrunch Superbowl Ad Rejected

2010-01-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

Dear ManCrunch,

I know its not right. What gives CBS the right to not allow your spot to air during the Superbowl? I thought we lived in a world that believes in freedom of speech right? But seriously though this spot is terrible. I'm all for shock value but where is the thought behind this. Come back next year with something a little more clever.

Sincerely,

Walmart Does a Remake of Stephen King's 'IT'

2010-01-26T08:05:00.000-08:00

Dear Walmart,

Well maybe its not exactly a remake of Stephen King's 'IT' but it is a pretty creepy clown suit. Personally I think the spot delivers the funny and manages to save enough time for some useful information about Walmart. The look on those kids faces is priceless.

Sincerely,

Knorr - Salty is Back

2010-01-25T10:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Knorr,

A couple months ago I featured your latest TV Spot featuring a depressed salt shaker doing a little soul searching once he finds out that Knorr sidekicks have less sodium in every package. DDB has gone viral with Salty trying to build on the success of the first campaign. In my opionion these two viral videos are a little bit of a stretch for me. I understood why he was depressed in the first spot but I am a little confused as to why he is using an online dating service:

I also am having a hard time wondering why he shows up at a small town diner? Isn't he supposed to be missing the Knorr product/being around at family dinner?

Not sure where DDB was going with this but I think they have strayed a little from the original brief.

Sincerely,

KFC - What Were You Thinking?

2010-01-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

Dear KFC,

Not sure what you were thinking with one of your latest spots titled 'Cricket Survival Guide'. According to this spot the best way to make friends with a bunch of African American, dancing, steel drum playing cricket fans is by offering them fried chicken?

You might want to rethink that strategy. My only hope is that the agency doesn't get fired because of this (like we saw with Mr. Sub in 2009). At the end of the day the spot needed to be approved KFC.

Sincerely,

The Biggest Winner

2010-01-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Everyone,

Want to know who was the 'Biggest Winner' over the past year in advertising. There is a site that tallies up the wins for the years biggest campaigns. I was a little surprised at who the biggest winner was (nothing against the creative) I just figured this campaign would sweep the award shows wherever it went.

Basically it works like this:
The Big Won is a register of who's winning what at advertising awards shows around the world. In 2008 we logged nearly 12,000 awards won by 1,702 different agencies at over 50 shows - with credits to over 22,000 different people.

Here is the list of winners:

Something to strive to.

Sincerely,

Look What the Wind Blew In

2010-01-04T11:37:00.001-08:00

Dear Wind Mobile,

Let me be the first to welcome you to Canada. Its been sometime since we've seen a new Telecom company in the great white north (not including Koodo). It seems as though this will be a refreshing change to the current climate around mobile service providers. The campaign which was produced by new agency Clean Sheet in a pitch won back in early 2009.

The positioning for the campaign looks to put an end to contracts because of their ridiculous nature. The TV creative takes this to the next level by taking everyday situations and dialing up just how obscene contracts are in every day life so why do they make sense with a phone contract.

Hot Dog Fees

Sidewalk Toll

Bike Lock

In addition to TV Clean Sheet also developed radio, print and OOH including statues of urbanites across major Canadian cities.

Only time will tell if Wind is able to weather the Canadian storm.

Sincerely,

Wave Goodbye to 2009

2009-12-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Google,

Google finds yet another way to in grain itself into our everyday life this time by using Google Wave to help summarize all of 2009. For those of you who aren't aware Google Wave is the video production apllication. The only thing that's missing from the video in my opinion is Oprah's announcement to retire.

Sincerely,

Telus Helps Users Make the Ugly Christmas Sweater of their Dreams

2009-12-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

Dear Telus,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say thank you for letting me design my very own Christmas Sweater. With the Christmas season well on its way and many 'Ugly Christmas Sweater' parties under my belt I thought that this app created by Bimm Communications was a great way to kill some time.

I recommend taking it for a spin: http://www.telusmemberservices.com/holiday/

Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Google Chrome,

2009-12-17T11:20:00.000-08:00

Dear Google,

I just watched the latest Chrome Features video posted on YouTube about a week ago. I love how you've taken lamen terms to a whole new visual level. Definitely worth the watch.

I'm sure I am not the only person in advertising saying this but I would do anything to work on that brand.

Sincerely,

Ben Stiller Develops a Seacrest Social Media Strategy

2009-12-09T08:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Ben Stiller,

I've just started following your latest conquest to raise money to build a school in Haiti. The campaign is called STILLERSTRONG and the best thing to do when you don't have a social media strategy when your a celebrity is to develop a Seacrest Social Media Strategy (ask Ryan Seacrest for help). This in by no means the first time that a celebrity has reached out to a celebrity pal for some help but it is one of the most innovative ways to do it. Check out volume 3 of the campaign.

Sincerely,

Shiny Suds

2009-11-19T09:51:00.000-08:00

Dear Shiny Suds,

I've never seen a dirtier bunch of soap bubbles in my life. In a recent viral video by Droga 5 for Method a 60sec spot speaks out against improper labeling on household cleaning products. The spot drives to the Method website a maker of environmentally friendly cleaning products.

The spot is fantastic. I can't wait to see what comes from this. Enjoy.

Sincerely,

I Love Local Commercials

2009-11-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Microbilt,

I just saw your latest sponsorship via Advertising Age's Top 10 Viral Video Countdown. I have to congratulate Microbilt for finding an alternative form of a sponsorship like this. Not only have they come up with relevant messaging around the sponsorship but Micrbilt has also developed a strategy and executed creative that is relevant to their direct market.

But the best part about this entire campaign is the number of terrible local spots you can watch on the I Love Local Commercials site. Here are some of my favourites. You're welcome.

Norton Furniture - What's that frog doing on the couch? I hope he doesn't come alive. Hey wait a minute...who's that guy with the scissors. My head hurts.

"Credit McDaddy" - I can only imagine the conversation went a little something like this: "I know what the kids are into these days...rap music. This can't miss."

"Mike Gallagher" - WOW. Good voice over at the end.

Sincerely,

Ted is Great but a Free Ivey Education!?!?!!?!

2009-11-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

Dear Academic Earth,

First things first my apologies for the use of so many explanation points but if I had a starburst I would have used that to.

I saw a post about the website Academic Earth on a site called Springwise this week and I just had to share it with my readers. I've been a big fan of Ted since I found out about it a couple of years ago. It's (what seems like) never ending content always seems to satisfy my thirst for technology with the world's leaders. But every so often I get a craving for some good old fashion education and that's when I found Academic Earth.

Like Ted Academic Earth provides anyone who visits the opportunity to search through a number of genres to find exactly what they are in the mood for. Be it Economics, History, Mathematics, Architecture, etc. etc. you have the ability to choose the subject and watch as many of the lectures you want (an entire semesters worth)until your thirst of knowledge has been fulfilled.

Now its one thing to provide actual structured lectures that provide you with an academic satisfaction (you remember what that feels like) but all of these lectures are from leading Ivy league schools across the U.S. i.e. Berkeley, Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, UCLA and Stanford. You might have heard of one or two of them before.

I encourage anyone who feels like I feel sometimes to enroll online and sit back and let your brain enjoy the ride.

http://www.academicearth.org/

Sincereley,

Stimulating Ad from Stimorol,

2009-10-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Stimorol,

I was cruising around some other blogs and stumbled across this ad for a South African gum company called Stimorol. Before I even get started on the actual ad I just have to say that it really blows my mind how much gum companies spend on advertising. Think about in the last 24hours of your life how many gum ads you've been exposed to and I can guess that its at least 2 or 3 TV spots, probably 1 or 2 Out of Home ads on your way to work and probably a couple of in-store ads.

Whether its Stride trying to knock a piece of gum out of your mouth because of its everlasting flavour or 5 gum speaking to the intense refreshment you get from chewing a piece. Either way these gum are always active in market with their advertising efforts which can only lead me to assume that this is a cut throat industry to compete in and only the "freshest" ideas will survive.

The 'War on Gums' is a whole other blog and for the time being I just wanted to share this ad from South Africa proposing a whole new hair blowing type of refreshment. Great spot Olgilvy SA

Sincerely,

Guinness Owns Halloween

2009-10-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Guiness,

Of all the holidays to own Guiness chooses Halloween? I have to commend the folks at Tempo Advertising for selling this strategy through to the folks at Guiness head office. While most beer brands choose summer partying, cottages, hockey, football and St. Patty's Day to align with Guiness has taken a run at Halloween and seems to have won the holiday uncontested.

Guiness's run at owning Halloween started a few years ago and seems to have successfully aligned with the day (which just happens to be one of my favourite holidays). I think that this unconventional approach speaks volumes about the brand and its willingness to disassociate itself from the rest of the beer industry.

Most recently this print ad just launched and should help continue to tighten Guiness's strangle hold on the Halloween season.

Sincerely

Vitamin Water Olympics,

2009-10-15T08:07:00.001-07:00

Dear Vitamin Water,

With the Olympics right around the corner Vitamin Water just launched a viral video attaching the popular Coke brand Vitamin Water with 6 top Canadian athletes who will be competing in Vancouver 2010. I've seen Anchorman more than 5 times and can draw more than a few similarities between the spot and the movie. While this definitely calls into question the originality of the idea, Coke has done a great job balancing this out with the blatent use of product shots and over the top Vitamin Water commentary throughout the video. "Triple X is the name of the drink, I don't know if you caught that."

Currently the video on YouTube has attracted a meager 980 hits so I'm not sure if Coke is getting the return they were looking for. With 3 months remaining until the Olympics who knows what they have up their sleeve to support this effort and help make it a success.

Sincerely,

Where's Dexter

2009-10-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Showcase,

I want to apologize for not including you in my post about HBO. I got so wrapped up in Entourage and True Blood that I completely forgot the joy you bring me through Dexter and Californication. Not only are you producing a quality tv show but your advertising over the past year or so has been outstanding. Most recently, I caught the YouTube based game called 'Where's Dexter'? The premise of the game is (not surprisingly) finding Dexter in an assortment of scenes/situations.

While 'Where's Dexter' is not a huge stretch on the creative side using YouTube's click through technology, I still have to give it up to the folks who created and approved this off the beaten path tactic for a TV show. I can honestly say that I never played an online Grey's Anatomy Operation game or a YouTube 'Choose Your Own Adventure' for lost. Here's hoping that regular TV is taking note of what a creative promotion could do for a series premiere.

Sincerely,

That Advertisings Sooooooo Gay

2009-10-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Sub,

I understand that you are taking some heat over your latest campaign created by Bos. Don't get me wrong I completely agree with you that Bos should be sleping on the couch for the next little while over the lash back you are taking from the press and specifically the gay community but I feel like the firing is a little harsh. This suggests to me that you weren't in the room approving the scripts for this campaign? Or that some how Mr. Sub tricked you into letting them shoot the spot? For all of the great work that Bos has done for you over the years this is how you repay them?

I just hope that this doesn't scare Mr. Sub away from continuing to do the racey type of ads that have always differentiated the brand from Subway(re: the terrible ads with the monkeys running in Canada). While I don't agree with the insight 'no surprises?' I would hate to see a great brand like Mr. Sub hesitate at all because of the bad press. Bottom line is that you are never going to appeal to everyone (my blog included).

Sincerely,

Advertising for Men,

2009-09-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Old Spice,

First off I want to apologize for how long it took me to write about this ad. I've seen it many times and everytime I watch it the jealousy continues to increase. Jealous of the fact that whoever wrote this was able to sell through the most ridiculous ad. And believe me when I say ridiculous I mean ridiculously amazing.

This is the kind of ad that got me into advertising in the first place but I only ever thought this kind of stuff was possible with beer and that deoderant ads should stick to mountains and lake fresh comparisons. Thank you Old Spice for making me believe again.

Sincerely,

WWF - We're Melting, We're Melting, Ohh What a World

2009-09-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

Dear WWF,

I have spent a couple of years of my career working with Not For Profit clients and have been privlaged to be a part of some good work for World Vision, Habitat for Humanity and CNIB. I always try to keep a close watch on NGO's of the world advertising campaigns. Not only for the reason that they do some great impactful work built off of great insights but for the reason that they usually do such great work on a dime.

Here is yet another example of some great work done by WWF. Unfortunately you are going to have to click through to YouTube to watch but trust me its worth it.

WWF Global Warming Melting Men

Sincerely,

Audi Garage

2009-09-24T07:03:00.001-07:00

Dear Audi,

You know I'm already a big fan of yours. Your marketing and advertising is always strategic, insightful and cutting edge. This latest outdoor campaign is no exception. This was clearly created to drum up some PR and has not failed to do so. I would be lying if I said I was the first one to write about the 'Garage Campaign' but never the less I had to give you the kudos you deserve.

My only question is: what's next to build on this? Is this going to be a one off execution? I could see this same idea living in parking garages in urban areas so that it actually gets the eyes it deserves rather than just PR. Great job on this Lowe Roche. You continue to push the Audi brand as a leader in the luxury car category.

Sincerely,

Audi to Tame Viral Videos?

2009-09-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Audi,

I just had a look at your three part viral series called Electricity Untamed and am positive that you will be climbing up the ranks with these videos. Not only are the 30sec pieces entertaining but you have avoided muddying up the message by refraining from using any real branding.

This is the first time I've seen any car company put a spin on the Electric Car. To date its been all about the environmental benefit of having a hybrid car so it is nice to see that Audi is taking the Electric Car in a new direction especially considering they are competing for the luxary market.The video's were created by San Francisco based agency Bell & Partners.

In my opinion the Lawnmower and Static spot are the best of the 3 but you can be the judge.

Sincerely,

Why HBO Rules

2009-09-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

Dear HBO,

I don't get to tell you this as often as I would like to, but I just wanted to let you know, that you rule! Not just because of the on demand capabilities that allows me to watch as many episodes of Entourage in a row as I want or because you don't have any commercials (which btw goes against everything I believe in)which allows me to watch what would be an hour long show in 50mins but also because you do some kick ass advertising.

I just saw this spot today and I loved the perspective(s) of it. If anyone knows who is working on HBO I would love to know so I can sing their praises as well. Please post it in the comments section if you know.

Sincerely,

Bud Light Lime - In the Can

2009-09-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

Dear DDB Chicago,

Call me childish but I think the Bud Light Lime "In the Can" spot is pretty funny. I am usually not a tongue in cheek kind of fellow but I think that this new spot was both informative and appealing to both men and women. Usually a tough demographic to appeal to DDB and Bud Light Lime manage to get'er done.

It's too bad the summer is almost over because unfortunately I'm not going to be craving lime in my beer for that much longer.

Sincerely,

How to Succeed at an Agency

2009-09-04T11:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Students,

At the end of “Back to School” week I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on my career thus far, and provide my two cents of what it takes to succeed in an Agency, and specifically how to succeed in your first year.

1.Be engaged. This doesn’t mean listening, taking notes, or going through the motions. You should be deeply engaged in what you are doing – understand the urgency of a project, and be ready and willing to share thoughts, ideas and provide solutions to roadblocks along the way or at the very least offer an opinion. People want to work with other people who get their problems, and want to solve them. Show them you are invested in the success of the project.

2.Build a network. And invest in it. Everyone will tell you that building strong client relationships is the cornerstone of a successful career in Account management. But in your first year, building your internal network is as important if not greater. Identify the people you will need to rely on to get your job done, and invest time in actually building relationships with these people. When people like you they are willing to go that extra mile to help make you look good. And when your network does pull through and save you from missing a deadline by working all night or putting in the extra mile, be diligent about recognizing their effort, and sharing your appreciation with their boss.

3.Be an expert. Be relevant to your team and firm by being a subject matter expert – whether it is on the newest trends in social media, or your clients category, or competitive. Own something that your team will find valuable and share this knowledge. You will become indispensible.

4.Be eager. Don’t just be a sponge in your first 6 months – be eager to immerse yourself in the agency, and your clients business. Volunteer to help with new business – it will show you are committed to the success of the agency and give you profile with leaders within the organization.

Finally – enjoy your time. This is a unique point in your career – the beginning. You have the opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to everything you do, and you will also learn a lot about yourself.

Good luck and have fun.

Sincerely,

Guest writer KB

Real (Social Media) Life Experience

2009-09-02T14:45:00.001-07:00

Dear Students,

I understand how hard it is to be a student or graduate trying to fight your way into the workforce as I was once there. I've heard it time and time again from post secondary students, graduates and even from my own lips "How am I supposed to get real life experience if no one gives me a chance?" While there are a few different ways to go about this I want to focus on how today’s students and graduates have resources available to them to help provide them with a stronger case on why they deserve the/a job. This resource; Social Media.

This seems to be the buzz word for every marketer, agency, news cast, charity, political campaign or mother trying to start a Facebook group. It is no secret that there are a lot of valuable uses for social media but I really want to highlight how you as a student or graduate can use social media to land yourself a job in advertising.

1) Facebook - Your FB friends whether a stat or a true friend, your FB friends are a good way to show your networking skills. Regardless of how many people you actually speak to everyday, this is a group of people who have either added you in order to keep tabs on your life or have allowed you to peer into theirs. Your ability to network is a transferable skill no matter how involved you are with each person you are connected to.

2) Twitter - This continues to be one of the hardest Social Media sites to find a true meaning for, this is true for both individuals and brands. Aside from the obsessed Miley Cirus and celebrity fans, we struggle as an industry to figure out what true value Twitter has. For a new graduate or student, the ability to keep and gain followers by offering some kind of stimulating conversation in 140 characters or less shows that you are buzz worthy and have something worth reading. I learned very quickly when I first started working how important it is to have an opinion and Twitter is a good way to highlight that.

3) Blogger - So what if your blog is about your collection of Ninja Turtles you've had wrapped in the package since you were in grade two. You've managed to grab the attention of 1500 readers passing by your site and I suggest that you even dabble in Google Analytics to learn more about what people like about your blog. Now you may not be the next Seth Godin, but by having a blog you are showing that you are a contributor instead of just another passenger on the web. Your ability to contribute content and have an opinion will speak louder than you will ever know to a potential job opportunity. There are enough passive people in the world. Stand up and stand out.

4) LinkedIn - So you've built your case on why you think you are advertising's next 30 under 30. You have over 500 friends on Facebook, 150 people are following you on Twitter and you've even had 1500 people read your blog. Those are some pretty good numbers and will definitely help you stand out when you start interviewing, but how do you find potential places to work? I would suggest signing up for a LinkedIn Account and building a solid profile for yourself. Once you've done this start searching to find the right people to talk to at the right agency for you. When LinkedIn didn't exist, the hardest part about getting a sit down meeting was always getting past HR and through to someone who could actually make a decision based on your potential vs. what your resume says about you. The great thing about LinkedIn is that you can search by city, company, job title, etc. to find the right person to talk to. Once you find the right person email them, send them interesting articles, opinions on their company and the industry in general. With each message you should be working towards that all powerful sit down. Once you nail the sit down it is out of my hands and I leave it to you to prove why they should hire you for this job.

So the next time you’re on Twitter and Facebook consider that these tools could be a contributing factor to your career. So think about it before you post a picture of yourself doing a keg stand or decide that 'Sitting on the can' is what you are doing.

Sincerely,

Creative Graduates - What's in your BOOK?

2009-08-31T09:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Students,

Welcome to the first ever back to school week on Dear Advertising. For the first insertion I wanted to put the legacy of the creative book into the spotlight. This is something that has stayed pretty much the same for graduates throughout the years despite how much advertising has evolved and changed with time. The equation looks something like this; Cool Brand + Witty Line = Print Ad. Don't get me wrong I feel that there is still a place for the 'book' but I think that their just might be a more effective way to use it especially for new grads.

Since moving to my current agency I have not only had the pleasure of interviewing and helping hire new suits but I have also been privileged to be a part of hiring creatives and most recently new graduates. I felt as though I was a part of some kind of secret society. We all sat around this room in silence, peeling back pages of the book, nodding our heads, asking questions, looking up to imply deeper thought and finally shaking hands with the fresh faced new generation before sending them on their way. After about 2 or 3 of meetings it hit me that for the most part these books are all more or less the same for a graduate.

The similarities aren't in the quality of work, the art direction or even the copy, what I mean by this is that each book showcases the same executions, some print, out of home and maybe the odd online display ad. On top of that the ads are usually for some of the worlds’ largest most established brands; Coke, Coors Light, Google, Toyota, Tide, Colgate, etc. etc. In an industry where you need to stand out as an individual (or team) that sees things differently this needs to start and end with your book.

I do not blame the graduates of these programs, instead I blame the teachers who have lived in an era where things were always done this way. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to work with some very talented individuals but I have to say the best creatives were the ones that weren't looking for a solution that involved a witty headline with a clean layout. These creatives seemed to come up with the big idea first from a true insight and allowed this idea to dictate the mediums to be used. Instead of setting out to develop a print ad or a billboard.

So please dig a little deeper, put on your client or account person hat and develop some rationale that speaks to a true insight or solves a real problem.

I think that if the next generation can apply this type of thinking we will be in good hands.

Sincerely,

Flash Back Friday - Back to School

2009-08-28T07:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Its that time of year again. Days seem to be getting a little shorter, evenings a little cooler and all of our beloved mediums have been flooded with back to school advertising. While there is not much funny nor good work form the back to school archives I figured the best example was this spot for Staples that has been in use since the mid 90's.

A lot of back to school advertisements focused on the children and savings parents good enjoy during this time. Staples took it to the next level by focusing on the sheer joy parents feel when back to school time roles around. Yes I think its about time for a refresh but you have to say that this is a classic.

Sincerely,

HEADS UP - Next week we will be dedicating all of our posts to back to school tips for students and graduates regarding the Ad Industry.

A Canadian Olympics

2009-08-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Nike,

The Olympics are coming to town. And while the McDonalds ad featuring Patrick Chan did not get me pumped for it I just watched your first Nike hockey Olympics spot and aside from being 'I am Canadian'esque, I am motivated to go and get my skates sharpened. This motivation does not only come from the fact that I am Canadian (and born on a frozen pond) but because I feel the creative team on this managed to 'skate' a fine line between ridiculousness (maple syrup and log cabins)and how Canadians really feel about there sport. On top of this, the spot managed to lend itself nicely to the Olympics without becoming only about the biggest stage in sports.

Olympics aside the tagline used to sum up the spot captures the essence of the Nike brand without being overbearing - Force Fate. What better way to leave nothing to chance by taking control to ensure you 'Force Fate'.

The pressure is certainly on for Team Canada to produce on our home turf. Until the first puck drops I look forward to watching more Olympic ads like this.

Sincerely,

Young Talent our Most Precious Resource?

2009-08-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Advertising Big-Wigs,

In the last couple of months I have been witness to too many examples of how Agencies, and specifically our leaders, are failing to prepare, mentor and nurture rising stars in our industry. Perhaps my perspective is jaded, but it seems to me that there is a serious lack of training and support available to young creative and account people in our industry, and with shrinking budgets, and emphasis on short term profitability, I don’t see this trend improving any time soon. Now don’t get me wrong, I think there are plenty of young, curious and talented advertising professionals out there, who on their own time are reading blogs, taking courses, and generally expanding their knowledge but it certainly isn’t formally encouraged (or rewarded) by many agencies.

At the very least, I think we owe it to our industry to actually help our account people learn how to approach writing a brief – what makes an insight an insight? What makes a brief powerful, and how can is it used to inspire a creative team? Basic stuff, but we can’t expect our account coordinators and AE’s to learn through osmosis. Someone might want to walk them through this important part of their future role. For the creative folks – they need to take an active role in selling the work, and please, we need to help them figure this out sooner rather than later. If we continue to have account people writing bland, uninspiring briefs, and creative people who are unable to articulate their ideas and relate them to an overall strategy, then surely we are all doomed.

We are a creative industry, and we thrive on big ideas that challenge the status quo, but I think it is time we bring a little bit more rigor into our training – after all, how are we supposed to improve the way we approach our jobs, if we never learn the fundamentals?

Sincerely,

Todays blog was written by guest writer KB.

Flashback Friday - First Cell Phone Spot

2009-08-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

This is a very special Flashback Friday, not because of the ad but because its my birthday. This is the first cellular phone ad ever made. Who needs words when you have amazing background music and emotions. Cellphone ads have come a long way for the better.

Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

Give me some 'Knorr' ads like this

2009-08-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Knorr,

I just saw your new spot from Knorr for Lipton Sidekicks. I want to start off by saying great stuff DDB Toronto and secondly want to commend the Knorr clients on this that believed that an idea that is a little more cerebral can do great things for your brand. From the strategy to the execution I think this is right on the mark.

As a side note whoever chose Michael Bolton as the song is a genius.

Sincerely,

Billboards Extensions

2009-08-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Every Client Who Purchases Outdoor Advertising,

I love me a great new billboard. I feel that it is one of the simplest and purest forms of advertising when it is done right. And by done right I mean a message that is concise and to the point (5-7 words). When billboard extensions became all the rave I couldn't have been more excited, "This is going to be great and grab even more attention!" (Picture me holding a small flag that says 'Billboards are #1'). These are the ones I get excited about:

This enthusiasm slowly started to die when extensions started become the norm for no good reason other than to just have an extension. Here are a couple of examples of the not so good:

All I'm saying is that if your going to have an extension at least try and make sure there is good reason for it.

Sincerely,

Flash Back Fridays

2009-08-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Old Gold,

Another Friday and another gem.

I strive to have a song like this written about me one day. "He's an independent guy, he likes to set his own kind of style." Just a guy working on his house hacking some darts...no big deal. Its the flavour that he's after but its the coupons that she likes!? Amazing.

I wasn't around when cigarette advertising was legal but if it was all like this then I feel like I missed out on a lot.

Sincerely,

Its a Mad Mad World

2009-08-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Mad Men,

With the Season 3 launch of Mad Men this Sunday I thought I would take a moment to look at how AMC has made this one of the most highly anticipated premiers for a cable TV show in a long time.

I know I recently had a Mad Men post on my blog about the Banana Republic promotion and Mad Men Yourself application but as I continued to research the launch I uncovered just how big of an event this is. Maybe its the fact that its a show about advertising and a lot of advertisers have blogs, twitter accounts, facebook fan pages and have a huge influence on media or maybe its the fact that this show has taken on a life of its own and has become bigger than Jesus. Either way I think we can all agree that the hype around this premiere is a shining example of what is possible if you a) Have the right show and b) Put the necessary resources and thinking against what is possible.

Any other TV shows out there should be taking notes on how to launch a new season but I guess we will only know the real success after the premier.

Here are some other things the show is doing to help with the premiere:

For August 10th only Playboy.com and Mad Men partnered together and exclusively feature a Mad Men inspired Playboy.com complete with cars from the 60's, interviews with Rat Pack legend Sammy Davis Jr. and even an advice column for yesteryear. In my opinion a partnership made in heaven given the womanizing attitudes fostered by Mad Men's leading men.

New York goes mad leading up to the premiere. Mad Men themed events will be taking place all across the city from the Hilton on 1335th serving up Mad Men inspired cocktails to the Museum of Art and Design running a special exhibit showcasing 1960's inspired advertisements all leading up to an outdoor viewing of the season premiere in Times Square.

These plus online apps, Banana Republic partnerships, features in GQ, Vanity Fair, The New York Times and of course stories all over the world of blogging are ramping up to what should be one of the biggest premieres of the year. The question remains are the producers of the show Mad!? I guess the ratings will be the judge of that.

Sincerely,

Diet Coke and Duffy,

2009-08-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Diet Coke,

You and I both know that celebrity endorsements have kind of always been your thing. Aside from your brand efforts there has always been someone helping you hock your product and over the years you have looked to pop music icons to help spike your sales. This entry isn't about bashing the fact that you use celebrities to help boost sales, I see the benefit in using today's it girls and guys, instead its about why the creative always seems to be so bad. Take your latest installment featuring Duffy:

I spent the whole time I watched this ad trying to figure out why she was on that bike and why a ten speed? Through song she explains to us that she's got to be free thus the reason she has stolen this bike and decided to go for a joy ride through a grocery store!?!?

My thought is that all of the pop icons Diet Coke has used over the years have a little bit more of a personality than just being singing puppets. Why not explore this? Here's a look of some other classics from Diet Coke:

There has got to be more to our pop music stars than this. All I'm asking the creative team to do is dig a little deeper.

Sincerely,

Flashback (Foreign?) Friday

2009-08-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Kinder Surprise,

Is this for real? That is really messed up. I would have loved to be in this meeting when scripts were presented.

Sincerely,

There's a New Joker in Town

2009-08-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Obama,

My mother always said that when people criticise you it just means they are jealous and I for one still believe it. Aside from the criticisms on CNN, Fox News, BBC and honestly the list goes on and on it is the Artistic community that has heavily involved themselves in politics these days. It started with the Obama 'Hope' poster (Did you pay that guy?) and now the latest installment the Obama 'Joker' poster that includes just one word 'socialism.'

Not going to lie Obama this doesn't look good especially considering how nice the work is. My Halloween costume would have been that much better if I would have had this unnamed Art Director doing my make-up. These posters have been popping up all over LA and other neighbouring major cities in an attempt to deface Obama (see what I did there).

All I have to say is 'Why so serious?'

Sincerely,

HP - You on You

2009-08-04T09:37:00.001-07:00

Dear HP,

Saw your new You on You campaign on You Tube late last week. I am interested in seeing how many entries you guys are going to end up getting. It seems to me that a lot of companies have launched User Generated Contests with mediocre success. It seems to me that UGC works for some brands and just doesn't make sense for others.

There are many lessons to be learned when it comes to these types of campaigns and I'm sure more casualties to come.

Sincerely,

Flashback Fridays - First McDonalds Commercial

2009-07-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the second installment of Flashback Fridays and man do I have a treat for you from McDonalds. I would recommend that you not watch this before be unless you want to be killed in your dreams by Ronald McDonald, talk about a creepy. Have a look and don't mind the quality...

See, what did I tell you. Maybe the creepiest commercial I have ever seen. "I like to do everything that little boys and girls like to do" ...amazing. I'm not sure who was in charge of costume design but that clown suit was fantastic, complete with paper cup nose and a magic feeding tray summed up with one hell of a jingle.

I hope that I can continue to find gems like these.

Sincerely,

Madmen Yourself

2009-07-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Madmen,

Like many from the Advertising and Marketing Industry and I think a few other common folk I am eagerly awaiting the season premier of Madmen on Sunday August 16. To help with the hype of the season premiere Madmen has launched a new feature on the site (hosted by AMC) that allows you to be a part of the show by creating your own character ('Madmen Yourself'). Much better than my character on World of Warcraft named Don Draper, my Peggy character on Habbo Hotel and my account under the name Pete Campbell I have on Plenty of Fish.

Seriously though this is a great little application to have some fun with if you are 'Mad' over Madmen (see what I did there). I suggest taking a run at it if you have a little time to kill. And if you really have what it takes Madmen has teamed up with Banana Republic for a 'Madmen Casting Call' to showcase Banana's new line of clothing.

Sincerely,

Case of Mistaken Identity?

2009-07-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Malibu,

I was walking to work today minding my business as usual when I noticed you had a new billboard with yet another flavour. I thought to myself man the ladies are really gonna love this (thinking to myself that this was the market they were going after), so I read on. "The best combo since topless & beach." Is it just me or does this seem to be way off? Unless of course its the ladies that get really excited about topless beaches and not us gentleman?

Malibu, I understand if you are trying to appeal to a new demographic but even the design of the billboard says that its a drink for the ladies. I think I will just stick to light beer the best combination since flavoured & lip gloss.

Sincerely,

Anytime, Anywhere

2009-07-29T11:26:00.001-07:00

Dear Huggies,

I just saw some iterations of your 'Anytime, Anywhere' campaign for Huggies produced by Ogilvy in S.Paulo. I commend the work on its simplicity and give kudos to the clients for realizing that those little bundles of joy say enough with their cute little faces than a bigger logo and body copy ever could.

In addition to the aesthetics of the ads, I discovered that each image used was actually found on Flickr. Why use those conceded baby models when a natural photo can be found on one of many social media sites. I think that this may open up a new can of worms in the world of photography and how social media can be used in the future of advertising. This may not be a route that every brand would want to take but their are definitely some brands that thrive to use everyday people in everyday situations; Canadian Tire (currently promoting a contest on Flickr), Pedigree Dog Food (pictures of puppies playing), Bauer Hockey Equipment (showing kids at their first game), DeWalt Tools (guys building a deck or a cottage).

Honestly the list is endless as to how you could use something like a Flickr to promote your product to the everyday person, by actually using everyday people for once. But why stop at Flickr? Could advertisers use posts on Twitter for an out of home campaign? Blogger articles as PR releases (please someone pick this up)? Movie reviews on Rotten Tomatoes instead of actual critics?

The point being that like YouTube there are a number of ways we can leverage social media to work for brands across a number of mediums. I for one look forward to the next level of social media's impact on marketing as we know it.

Sincerely,

Flash Back Fridays

2009-07-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the first edition of 'Flash Back Fridays'! Where we take a look at some advertising from the days of yore. I'll do my best to try and give you an idea of what I feel is the true insight to each ad and try to figure out how and why some of these ads were ever made. Remember the eighties? Man that was a crazy time in advertising. So get ready for a walk down memory lane mixed with a little bit nostalgia and a dash of mind blowing amazingness!

The whole reason I was inspired to add FBF's into the mix is because of the latest Heinz campaign celebrating their 100th anniversary. Heinz is running a number of 30s showing some of their favourite ads they used in the past. It only seems fitting that the first installment be a Heinz ad.

Recognize that guy? That's right it's Matthew Leblanc from that moderately sucessful show Friends. I bet you didn't know that at one point in his life this guy was in all kinds of commercials wearing sweet plaid shirts and not taking sh*t from anyone. For instance why would Matt waste his time putting ketchup on his hot dog like a regular person when he can lean a bottle of Heinz over the side of a building and get his Heniz that way. Heinz is delicious on Hot Dogs already but just how much more delicious it would be if it was poured off the top of a building.

Happy 100th Heinz.

Sincerely,

Recessionary Advertising

2009-07-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Media,

Who needs your expensive buys when you can do work like this. It just seems so simple.

Sincerely

Crocs Extinct

2009-07-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Crocs,

I just heard that your days are numbered and I can't say that I'm surprised. I'm not going to lie I never owned a pair and looked down on people who did but I do have to say that I thought there was a reason that you existed. While they weren't the shoes for me they were the shoes for; gardeners, nurses, hikers, cooks, dishwashers, boating and for people who just didn't have a clue. It seemed like a pretty sound business and was doing really really well in 2007 profiting $168.2 million. Pretty good for some shoes with holes in them.

Little did we know that Croc's head office was figuring out a way to put holes in everything; holes in shirt, holes in pants, holes in hats. Ok maybe that didn't happen but what did happen was that someone decided that instead of doing one thing really well they would try and be all things to everyone. They expanded there shoe line, added some clothes to the mix and opened up Croc stores!?!?

I guess they thought pretty highly of themselves to think that they were big enough to open there own stores. Converse has been around for 25 years plus and hasn't thought of opening their own store so where does Crocs get off thinking that this was a logical step. I guess they learned their lesson when they posted a loss of $185.1 million in 2008

A look at the best Crocs ad ever and maybe the last.

Sincerely,

YouTube Adwords?

2009-07-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

Dear YouTube,

Wow! It seems like this user generated content thing is really taking off who would of thought that everyday people would want anything to do with fame and hopefully fortune. I read last week that the Evian Babies Roller Skating spot reached 14 million views. This has shattered every YouTube advertising record to date.

What I find surprising is how YouTube hasn't taking a page our of Google's book and introduced the idea of Adwords to the world of user generated content. When I searched Evian babies I was expecting to see a Pampers display ad to pop up beside the different associated videos but instead received an ad about 'The 6 Big Fat Loss Mistakes'? Or when I type in Monkey's instead of matching the search with an advertisement for the zoo it was an RBC ad that appeared on the page.

Don't get me wrong I understand the risks involved with user generated material I just think that there might be ways to have more relevant material appear whenever I am surfing around YouTube.

In addition to relevant material there are enough YouTube stars out there looking for some fortune to go along with the fame they have received to date. Your telling me that the Star Wars kid wouldn't make a good spokesperson for Nasal Strips. Alright maybe these YouTube stars wouldn't be ideal advocates for your brand but buying the word 'Star Wars' on YouTube Adwords might come in handy for the next Comic Book hero flick movie trailor. Or maybe when you type in Water Skiing squirrel a display ad for motor boats appears.

All I'm saying is that I think there are some avenues yet to be explored on how we might better use YouTube for paid purposes.

Sincerely,

Rewarding Social Media Leaders

2009-07-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hello Online Social Media and the Brands that use the outlets,

When I look back at the beginning of online social media we were so confused as marketers and advertisers about how we were going to harness the power of the consumer to help our own cause. Ohhh the aches and pains we suffered and the number of PR disasters their were along the way.

Smoking Smarties. Too much of this is sure to cause Diabetes (bad joke)

Domino's Pizza. They should have had better employee incentives. I will say that this was handled really well by Domino's head office.

Those two are great examples of how Social Media can work against you. But as time goes on we continue to find new and innovative ways to yield this awesome power and use it for good not evil. All I can say is that when it works...it works really really well. Most recently I found a new example of a win for PF Chang:

Clearly PF Chang's head office gets how important their consumers are in the world of social media and has taken it to the next level by rewarding them for being brand advocates.

I think that this could be a very valuable model in the future of social media on how we can recognize our most valuable consumers. The only thing I am wary of is our ability to time and time again exploit these wins and diminish the credibility of these advocates as an extension of our own brands. I guess only time will tell.

Sincerely,

TMN on Demand

2009-07-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

Dear TMN,

Its great to see that you finally figured out a way to earn ad revenue without the need to expose your viewers to ads outside of previews for whats new this month on TMN and HBO. I have been a subscriber to TMN for about a year now and have enjoyed the service based on the quality of programming and its On Demand service. Until recently TMN had not allowed any brands to meddle in their programming. Being the ad person that I am I had been trying to think of ways for Brands to attach themselves to TMN's programming specifically the HBO shows.

Over the years HBO has produced and still produces some of the biggest hit TV Programming for a very wide demographic with shows like; Sex in the City, Entourage, Six Feet Under, Oz, True Blood, The Sopranos and Flight of the Concords just to name a few. Those who don't subscribe to TMN end up waiting a year or two before getting their first glimpse of these blockbuster shows and are left out of the water cooler conversation about Vince and the boys. I digress.

Recently TMN has discovered a way to have a sponsor for those of us using TMN On Demand. Alexander Keith's has jumped on board to pilot this project and all I can say is kudos to whoever made the decision to pull the trigger on spending those sponsorship dollars. Seems like a good place to own considering there is no other competition and the hit shows continue continue to roll out.

I will be interested to see how many other stations/shows will start to pick up this model of one brand per show as the PVR revolution continues.

Sincerely,

Buick Ads Make Brand Look Newic

2009-07-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Dear GM,

Caught your New Buick ad today and I have to say that I am not mad about it at all. Not only did it introduce the Buick in a younger light it also used the song 'Here Comes the Hotstepper' - which is a personal fave. Seriously though it is great to see Buick finaljavascript:void(0)ly introducing itself to a younger generation of car buyers. I guess its not just for my grandparents anymore.

What I really liked is that GM is moving away from this whole reinvention platform after announcing their bankruptcy. Who isn't going to announce a reinvention after you've gone bankrupt (I know I'm a little bit late on this but I wanted to get this off my chest). What would have been less obvious would be if they came our with a 'we're going to build even bigger cars campaign'. Now that what have turned some heads.

Sincerely,

Unbelievable

2009-07-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Coke Zero,

I apologize if I'm reporting an old piece of creative but I just stumbled across this tv spot for Coke Zero that was created by Wieden+Kennedy and all I can say is 'unbelievable'.

I'm not sure if this is a platform that will continue to be explored but I think that while the combo idea may have been seen before I think that this might be an area that Coke Zero could hang their hat on. It seems since the launch of Coke Zero that the brand has had a hard time finding and sticking to one platform producing a number of spots unable to create any real synergy for the brand.

Don't get me wrong many entertaining spots have been produced as a result I'm just wondering if Coke Zero will ever be able to carve out clear strategy and communication for the brand.

This is still my favourite.

Sincerely,

Casino Rama wants your vote...

2009-07-07T15:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Casino Rama,

While I am all for excitement I struggle to be all for your current campaign. Let me get this straight I have to vote yes or no on whether I am for excitement...well that seems like a pretty easy answer who wouldn't want to vote 'yes' for...wait a minute I get it now this is kind of like opposite day where up is down and left is right and voting no to excitement is just plain ludicrous.

I want to start off by thanking Casino Rama and their AOR Marshall Fenn Communications for treating me like a dummy. What is even more unfortunate is the response that the campaign is getting, judging from the number of hits the site is getting. What is kind of funny though is that 'Voting No to Excitement' seems to be outweighing 'Voting Yes'. I guess I am not the only one feeling like Casino Rama doesn't think much of my intelligence or their current clienteles. I would have loved to be in that brainstorm/presentation when this idea seemed like a logical step for the brand.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWCxAXwQO1w)- I only provided the link because all I could find on Youtube was one of the old spots attached to a BMO spot.

Once upon a time Casino Rama had a branded itself as the founder of excitement and that the word would not exist if it weren't for them. And now they are asking us to 'Vote for Excitement'? Seems a little backwards to me!?!?

The only vote they are going to get from me is a vote of silence until they figure out the proper way to evolve their communication as a brand that is the reason for excitement.

Sincerely,

"The times they are a changin..."

2009-07-03T06:07:00.000-07:00

While I’m not positive that Bob Dylan wrote that song or line for the Advertising Industry, but it has never been more true than right now. The industry as a whole has been taking a beating because of the economic downturn and everybody and their mother has asked for a bailout. And while we are not in an industry that gives handouts (aside from the odd NGO campaign) our services as advertising agencies seem to be the first expenditure on the chopping block. For years advertising agencies in general have been perceived as an overcharging, expensive and only looking out for ourselves not necessary but a ‘nice to have’ service by marketers.

There are some agencies that have heard this and are standing up for agencies to show that we will sacrifice the Kraft truck and champagne kisses in order to continue to do some great work.

Over the last month or so campaigns from agencies have been popping up across North America offering clients (marketers) the opportunity to remain competitive and active with their communications by providing advertising services at a reduced rate or no fees at all! An industry that has taken for so long has decided to give back in order to get their creative fix (like a junky in need of their next hit).

Why now? It’s simple really, this is a vulnerable time for the big agency and the small and medium size has recognized this and is using this opportunity to dangle their line in the water in hopes of landing one of the big fish. It has become apparent that a lot of the bigger agencies have taken their line out of the water for the time being and that the little guys being so nimble in size can afford the right bait for these hard times. I could use fish analogies all day but the point is that these hardships have brought new opportunities that marketing departments may never see again. The only challenge is getting past the fact that a lot of these companies remain relatively unknown in the big world of advertising.

Should these offers be taken seriously? It really depends on what it is your looking for.

Elemental Agency from Toronto recently launched the Marketing Budget Bailout campaign (www.whatsinyourbudget.ca) offering marketers a bailout package that includes strategy, the communication plan and creative without any sort of a payback.

Agency Nil from Virginia is offering its services for a price of ‘whatever you think the work is worth’ (www.agencynil.com).

The Brainstorm Group recently ran a newspaper ad of a coupon giving clients $40,000 off if they signed up to work with them on a retainer worth $250,000 plus.

Do these campaigns work? Only time will tell. All I can say is that now is the time for small and medium sized agencies with their low overhead costs to finally reel in a large client. I look forward to these tall tales in the future about how they finally landed a big one.

Sincerely,

"All Aboard!"

2009-06-09T08:28:00.001-07:00

Dear Steam Whistle,

I want to be the first to welcome you to the wonderful world of TV advertising. I saw your spot the other night while I was watching 'The Hour' and I have to say that I liked it...I didn't love it but I certainly will not hold anything against you for your valiant effort.

Steam Whistle has always been a huge supporter of the indy music scene so it only makes sense that the spot would appear during a show with another supporter of the scene George Stroumboulopoulos. I look forward to seeing what this campaign will lead to. The obvious would be to take it to the street with Street Car and Go Train wraps but hopefully my first thought isn't as far as this brand will be pushed.

All Aboard!

Sincerely,

Kokanee takes a Page out of Samsung's Book?

2009-06-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Kokanee,

Its been a while since I've heard from you. Hope everything is going well? Ohh whats that you've been working on a new campaign have you? Sounds interesting I hope its as good as the Ranger and the Sasquatch work once was. It is you say. Well let me have a looksy then:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Are you sure about that Kokanee. I liked this ad the first time I saw it when it was done by Samsung.

I'm not mad I'm just disappointed.

Sincerely,

Twitter - Going down the Sh*tter!

2009-04-30T13:03:00.001-07:00

Dear Advertising/Social Media,

Don't make me say I told you so! Well actually I can't really say I told you so because I never posted a Blog about Twitter but in my mind I always new that this was going to get old...I just never thought it would get old this fast. The fact remains that Twitter is experiencing a 60% drop off (Stats provided by Nielsen) all before Marketers and Advertisers could figure out a use for the 140 character micro-blogging site.

All I can say is save that brain energy for a piece of social media that actually has some legs like; ICQ or Talking to People in Person. I've been waiting for someone to clip the wings of this site and my dreams have finally come true.

Sincerely,

Pour Out A Little Diet Pepsi for My Hommies

2009-04-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Diet Pepsi,

It appears that the well is getting pretty dry. I understand the 'Forever Young' tagline and quite frankly I enjoy, make that enjoyed some of your last installments to the campaign. It seems of late that the ideas aren't as entertaining as they used to be (re: Pong, Thriller) instead we are treated to some half pregnant spots about 'Recess' and 'Sleepover' attempting to discredit both activities of being 'not that fun'. Are you kidding me? Recess and Staying Up All Night in a tent are the two most fun things I can think of and I would gladly take either or over a Diet Pepsi at this moment in my 27 year old life.

I think it is time to pour out a little Diet Pepsi for this fallen campaign.

Sincerely,

Losing my Blog V-Card

2009-04-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Advertising

There is a big difference between losing your V-Card and your Blogging V-Card. Mainly the difference is that when I lost my actual V-Card it was to one person as a poster of Bo Jackson looked on, while my blog on the other hand has the potential of being viewed by thousands of readers. All of whom will be judging me on my overall performance including; writing style, intelligence, ability to form proper sentences, use of 7-letter words etc. etc. And to think I was nervous with Bo and Girl X judging me that warm summers evening.

I think I am getting a little ahead of myself by telling my V-Card story but I figured this would be a great way to start this relationship; nothing to hide. I look forward to sharing some more stories as time goes on. I hope this doesn't let anyone down but moving forward most posts will cover more advertising focused stories and about Bo Jackson. For more about Bo Jackson visit my other blog appropriately titles Bo Knows Blogs

Sincerely,